Pet FIRST AID KIT

If you have pets in your home, you, too, should have a first-aid kit that is specifically designated for your four-legged family members. You should have a pet first-aid kit in your home, your car, and any other place where your pets may spend time. What to include Below is a list of items that you should include in your pet first-aid kits. Store these items in a waterproof pouch or toolbox. In addition to making your kits, I strongly recommend that you take a pet first-aid course or speak to your vet about how to properly use these items. At the very least, consult a pet first-aid book, and keep the book with your pet first-aid kit. Here are the essential items to include: Adhesive tape: Use this to keep a bandage or splint in place. You can also use it to secure an animal to a board if you suspect a back or neck injury (this will help to immobilize the animal). Do not try to move an animal with a back or neck injury until you have taken a pet first-aid course. Antibiotic ointment: This should be applied to minor wounds after they have been cleaned with soap and water. Clean towel: Use this to dry off an animal. A towel can also be used to help stop bleeding or as a makeshift bandage. Clippers or a safety razor: These are useful for clipping the hair around a wound. Grooming clippers work best. Cotton balls: Use these to rub on isopropyl alcohol. Diphenhydramine: This over-the-counter drug is administered when an animal is having an allergic reaction to something such as an insect bite, food, or vaccine. (This is the medication STUART's owners keep in their pet first-aid kit just in case the dog has another run-in with a bee.) Never use this medication without speaking to your vet first. He will need to give you the correct dose for your pet and tell you if it is appropriate for the situation. Dose syringe: Use this to administer small amounts of medication. Never give medicine to your pet before consulting your vet first. Human medications can be fatal to animals. Emergency telephone numbers: Include the phone numbers for your regular vet, an after-hours emergency clinic, and a poison control center, such as the National Animal Poison Control Center. Expired credit (or similar) card: The card's flat edge can be used to scrape away a bee or other insect stinger from your pet's skin. Gauze sponges: These can be used to stop a wound from bleeding and to dress wounds. Hydrogen peroxide (a 3 percent solution): This can be used to induce vomiting after a pet has ingested poison. However, never induce vomiting without speaking to your vet or a poison control official first. Isopropyl alcohol: Use this to sterilize the pet's skin and your first-aid instruments. Latex gloves: These will protect your hands from the animal's body fluids. Leather gloves: These can help protect your hands when you're working with an agitated or scared animal. But remember: Most teeth can penetrate leather. You can also lose some manual dexterity when wearing leather gloves. Muzzle: Injured animals are often scared, and a muzzle can help prevent you from being bitten. Muzzles come in various sizes and types. I prefer basket muzzles because dogs can vomit through them. No matter which type you choose, make sure it fits your pet. No muzzle is foolproof; a persistent dog or cat can remove any muzzle. If your pet is upset, placing a muzzle on her may be extremely difficult. So know how to use a muzzle before attempting to put one on a sick or injured pet. Nylon leash: A leash can be used to restrain a dog or cat if needed. Plastic wrap: This can be wrapped around a bandage to keep it in place. But remember: You don't want a bandage dressing to be too snug. So always lay the plastic wrap on the area and never pull it tight. I do not recommend that you use plastic wrap until you have either taken a pet first-aid course or have been shown by your vet how to properly apply plastic wrap to a dressing. Rectal thermometer: Pediatric rectal thermometers work best. Remember, you must know the normal temperature range for your pet's species. Roll of bandage material: I recommend using 2-inch-wide bandages to dress wounds. Never pull the bandage too tight. This can cut off the circulation to the area and cause the skin tissue to die. If the feet or the area below a bandage begin to swell, your bandage is too tight. Scissors: These come in handy when you need to cut bandages or other material. Sterile eye wash: Use a saline-based solution to clear foreign bodies from the eye. Sterile lubricant: Use this to lubricate the rectal thermometer. Sterile pads: Place these directly on wounds. A topical antibiotic ointment can be applied to the pad before it is placed over the wound. Styptic powder: This works to stop minor nail bleeds. Simply dab the powder on the nail until the bleeding stops. Thermal blanket: Use this to keep a pet who is in shock warm while transporting him to the vet. Tweezers: Use these to remove thorns or ticks. Clean your tweezers by passing them through a flame and then allowing them to cool. Grasp the thorn or tick where it is attached to the skin and carefully pull it straight out. Don't forget PET's medication If your pet takes any medications, keep extra doses in your first-aid kits. Periodically check the expiration dates and discard outdated medications. Always keep all first-aid kits out of the reach of children. You may notice that many of the items in your pet first-aid kits are similar to (or even the same as) the items in the first-aid kits you keep for the rest of your family. The differences between the two kits, however, can be critical. For example, the type and doses of medications you keep for your pets may be different from those you would give to your children. If You Have Pets, You Should Have a Pet First-Aid Kit STUART, the 1-year-old Bulldog's face was swollen, his body was covered with hives, and he appeared to be depressed. His owners told me the dog had been chasing a bee. Given his appearance, I knew he must have been stung by that bee and was suffering an allergic reaction to the bee's venom. The Vet gave him some intravenous antihistamine and steroid medications and some oxygen, and put a cold compress on his face. Soon he was feeling better. The next time STUART was stung by a bee, his family didn't need to rush him to my office. That's because they had STUART's first-aid kit (which housed some of his antihistamine medication) in their car and they were able to treat the poor pup themselves immediately after his encounter with the bee. (After treating the dog, they brought him into my office so I could make sure he wasn't suffering a serious allergic reaction; a second reaction to an allergen can be worse than the first.)